1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to container fabrication equipment and more particularly to a method and apparatus for erecting rectangular paperboard cartons from flat blanks.
2. Prior Art
Rectangular paperboard cartons have commonly been used to ship manufactured goods such as processed food and machine parts, as well as fresh produce, to distributors, retail outlets and ultimate consumers. A common form of such cartons has comprised a one-piece paperboard member having four upstanding rectangular side panels, foldably connected along opposite upstanding edges, and four horizontal rectangular bottom panels, foldably connected to adjacent bottom edges of the side panels. The cartons have frequently been manufactured in the form of blanks which can be shipped flat for convenience and economy and subsequently erected by the user. Thus, it has often been necessary for the user of the cartons to erect the cartons by properly folding the panels of their flat blanks and then adhesively bonding their bottom panels together prior to filling the cartons with manufactured goods or produce.
Of course, it has been possible to erect such cartons manually from their flat blanks by: folding the side panels of each blank, so that they form a rectangular tube; folding the bottom panels of each blank towards each other; applying adhesive to the bottom panels; and then adhesively bonding the bottom panels together. However, it has been economically desirable to perform some or all of these operations automatically with a machine, especially designed to erect the cartons, such as the apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,160,406.